part19-第12章

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neglected；　give　uneasiness。　　But　nothing　has　ever　presented　so

threatening　an　aspect　as　what　is　called　the　Missouri　question。　　The

Federalists　compleatly　put　down；　and　despairing　of　ever　rising　again

under　the　old　division　of　whig　and　tory；　devised　a　new　one；　of

slave…holding；　&　non…slave…holding　states；　which；　while　it　had　a

semblance　of　being　Moral；　was　at　the　same　time　Geographical；　and

calculated　to　give　them　ascendancy　by　debauching　their　old　opponents

to　a　coalition　with　them。　　Moral　the　question　certainly　is　not；

because　the　removal　of　slaves　from　one　state　to　another；　no　more　than

their　removal　from　one　country　to　another；　would　never　make　a　slave

of　one　human　being　who　would　not　be　so　without　it。　　Indeed　if　there

were　any　morality　in　the　question　it　is　on　the　other　side；　because　by

spreading　them　over　a　larger　surface；　their　happiness　would　be

increased；　&　the　burthen　of　their　future　liberation　lightened　by

bringing　a　greater　number　of　shoulders　under　it。　　However　it　served

to　throw　dust　into　the　eyes　of　the　people　and　to　fanaticise　them；

while　to　the　knowing　ones　it　gave　a　geographical　and　preponderant

line　of　the　Patomac　and　Ohio；　throwing　12。　States　to　the　North　and

East；　&　10。　to　the　South　&　West。　　With　these　therefore　it　is　merely　a

question　of　power：　but　with　this　geographical　minority　it　is　a

question　of　existence。　　For　if　Congress　once　goes　out　of　the

Constitution　to　arrogate　a　right　of　regulating　the　conditions　of　the

inhabitants　of　the　States；　its　majority　may；　and　probably　will　next

declare　that　the　condition　of　all　men　within　the　US。　shall　be　that　of

freedom；　in　which　case　all　the　whites　South　of　the　Patomak　and　Ohio

must　evacuate　their　States；　and　most　fortunate　those　who　can　do　it

first。　　And　so　far　this　crisis　seems　to　be　advancing。　　The　Missouri

constitution　is　recently　rejected　by　the　House　of　Representatives。

What　will　be　their　next　step　is　yet　to　be　seen。　　If　accepted　on　the

condition　that　Missouri　shall　expunge　from　it　the　prohibition　of　free

people　of　colour　from　emigration　to　their　state；　it　will　be　expunged；

and　all　will　be　quieted　until　the　advance　of　some　new　state　shall

present　the　question　again。　　If　rejected　unconditionally；　Missouri

assumes　independent　self…government；　and　Congress；　after　pouting

awhile；　must　recieve　them　on　the　footing　of　the　original　states。

Should　the　Representative　propose　force；　1。　the　Senate　will　not

concur。　2。　were　they　to　concur；　there　would　be　a　secession　of　the

members　South　of　the　line；　&　probably　of　the　three　North　Western

states；　who；　however　inclined　to　the　other　side；　would　scarcely

separate　from　those　who　would　hold　the　Misisipi　from　it's　mouth　to

it's　source。　　What　next？　　Conjecture　itself　is　at　a　loss。　　But

whatever　it　shall　be　you　will　hear　from　others　and　from　the

newspapers。　　And　finally　the　whole　will　depend　on　Pensylvania。　　While

she　and　Virginia　hold　together；　the　Atlantic　states　can　never

separate。　　Unfortunately　in　the　present　case　she　has　become　more

fanaticised　than　any　other　state。　　However　useful　where　you　are；　I

wish　you　were　with　them。　　You　might　turn　the　scale　there；　which　would

turn　it　for　the　whole。　　Should　this　scission　take　place；　one　of　it's

most　deplorable　consequences　would　be　it's　discouragement　of　the

efforts　of　the　European　nations　in　the　regeneration　of　their

oppressive　and　Cannibal　governments。




　　　　　　　　Amidst　this　prospect　of　evil；　I　am　glad　to　see　one　good　effect。

It　has　brought　the　necessity　of　some　plan　of　general　emancipation　&

deportation　more　home　to　the　minds　of　our　people　than　it　has　ever

been　before。　　Insomuch；　that　our　Governor　has　ventured　to　propose　one

to　the　legislature。　　This　will　probably　not　be　acted　on　at　this　time。

Nor　would　it　be　effectual；　for　while　it　proposes　to　devote　to　that

object　one　third　of　the　revenue　of　the　State；　it　would　not　reach　one

tenth　of　the　annual　increase。　　My　proposition　would　be　that　the

holders　should　give　up　all　born　after　a　certain　day；　past；　present；

or　to　come；　that　these　should　be　placed　under　the　guardianship　of　the

State；　and　sent　at　a　proper　age　to　S。　Domingo。　　There　they　are

willing　to　recieve　them；　&　the　shortness　of　the　passage　brings　the

deportation　within　the　possible　means　of　taxation　aided　by　charitable

contributions。　　In　this　I　think　Europe；　which　has　forced　this　evil　on

us；　and　the　Eastern　states　who　have　been　it's　chief　instruments　of

importation；　would　be　bound　to　give　largely。　　But　the　proceeds　of　the

land　office；　if　appropriated；　would　be　quite　sufficient。　　God　bless

you　and　preserve　you　multos　aNos。







　　　　　　　　BOLINGBROKE　AND　PAINE




　　　　　　　　_To　Francis　Eppes_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　January　19；　1821_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　FRANCIS；　　Your　letter　of　the　1st　came　safely　to　hand。　　I

am　sorry　you　have　lost　Mr。　Elliot；　however　the　kindness　of　Dr。　Cooper

will　be　able　to　keep　you　in　the　track　of　what　is　worthy　of　your　time。




　

　　　　　　　　You　ask　my　opinion　of　Lord　Bolingbroke　and　Thomas　Paine。　　They

were　alike　in　making　bitter　enemies　of　the　priests　and　pharisees　of

their　day。　　Both　were　honest　men；　both　advocates　for　human　liberty。

Paine　wrote　for　a　country　which　permitted　him　to　push　his　reasoning

to　whatever　length　it　would　go。　　Lord　Bolingbroke　in　one　restrained

by　a　constitution；　and　by　public　opinion。　　He　was　called　indeed　a

tory；　but　his　writings　prove　him　a　stronger　advocate　for　liberty　than

any　of　his　countrymen；　the　whigs　of　the　present　day。　　Irritated　by

his　exile；　he　committed　one　act　unworthy　of　him；　in　connecting

himself　momentarily　with　a　prince　rejected　by　his　country。　　But　he

redeemed　that　single　act　by　his　establishment　of　the　principles　which

proved　it　to　be　wrong。　　These　two　persons　differed　remarkably　in　the

style　of　their　writing；　each　leaving　a　model　of　what　is　most　perfect

in　both　extremes　of　the　simple　and　the　sublime。　　No　writer　has

exceeded　Paine　in　ease　and　familiarity　of　style；　in　perspicuity　of

expression；　happiness　of　elucidation；　and　in　simple　and　unassuming

language。　　In　this　he　may　be　compared　with　Dr。　Franklin；　and　indeed

his　Common　Sense　was；　for　awhile；　believed　to　have　been　written　by

Dr。　Franklin；　and　published　under　the　borrowed　name　of　Paine；　who　had

come　over　with　him　from　England。　　Lord　Bolingbroke's；　on　the　other

hand；　is　a　style　of　the　highest　order。　　The　lofty；　rhythmical；

full…flowing　eloquence　of　Cicero。　　Periods　of　just　measure；　their

members　proportioned；　their　close　full　and　round。　　His　conceptions；

too；　are　bold　and　strong；　his　diction　copious；　polished　and

commanding　as　his　subject。　　His　writings　are　certainly　the　finest

samples　in　the　English　language；　of　the　eloquence　proper　for　the

Senate。　　His　political　tracts　are　safe　reading　for　the　most　timid

religionist；　his　philosophical；　for　those　who　are　not　afraid　to　trust

their　reason　with　discussions　of　right　and　wrong。




　　　　　　　　You　have　asked　my　opinion　of　these　persons；　and；　_to　you_；　I

have　given　it　freely。　　But；　remember；　that　I　am　old；　that　I　wish　not

to　make　new　enemies；　nor　to　give　offence　to　those　who　would　consider

a　difference　of　opinion　as　sufficient　ground　for　unfriendly

dispositions。　　God　bless　you；　and　make　you　what　I　wish　you　to　be。







　　　　　　　　THE　UNIVERSITY　AND　THE　SCHOOLS




　　　　　　　　_To　General　James　Breckinridge_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　February　15；　1821_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　learn；　with　deep　affliction；　that　nothing　is

likely　to　be　done　for　our　University　this　year。　　So　near　as　it　is　to

the　shore　that　one　shove　more　would　land　it　there；　I　had　hoped　that

would　be　given；　and　that　we　should　open　with　the　next　year　an

institution　on　which　the　fortunes　of　our　country　may　depend　more　than

may　meet　the　general　eye。　　The　reflections　that　the　boys　of　this　age

are　to　be　the　men　of　the　next；　that　they　should　be　prepared　to

receive　the　holy　charge　which　we　are　cherishing　to　deliver　over　to

them；　that　in　establishing　an　institution　of　wisdom　for　them；　we

secure　it　to　all　our　futu